OKEECHOBEE -- Call it agribusiness or agritourism, it’s big business in Florida, and Ever After Farms Stockyard in Okeechobee has proven itself to be a strong economic driver in Okeechobee County, according to a recent Economic and Fiscal Impact Study.

Ever After Farms Stockyard is a 72-acre, working cattle ranch located on the east side of Okeechobee County. Like many Florida ranches, its small size makes profitability difficult to maintain. Adding an agritourism component to the farm has made the facility not only profitable, but also a place where people can go to learn about Florida cattle farming.

According to the study, which was conducted by Florida Economic Advisors and underwritten by Ever After Farms, the Stockyard will create nearly $200,000 in ad valorem tax revenue to local and regional taxing authorities and nearly $427,000 in gross fiscal impact to Okeechobee County over the next 20 years. Annually, it  employs 44 full-time equivalent jobs with annual employee earnings of over $1.5 million.

“Ever After Farms is a travel destination that draws people from across the country,” said R. Christopher Jones, Ph.D., Chief Economist of Florida Economic Advisors and University of South Florida professor. 

In addition to the farm’s earnings, other local businesses benefit from the over 100 weddings and 15,000 visitors who visited the Stockyard just last year. These businesses include local restaurants, lodging establishments, and gas stations, as well as local service providers like caterers, photographers, and beauticians.

“Agritourism is saving farming in Florida,” said Jenny Cahoon, CEO of Ever After Farms Stockyard, who is also a Board Member of the Florida Agritourism Association. “Thankfully, the Florida Legislature passed a bill back in 2013 that protects and strengthens agritourism opportunities for Florida’s farmers and ranchers, which enables farms like Ever After Farms to stay afloat, rather than shutting down and selling out to developers.”

The United States agritourism industry generates in excess of $1 billion annually in economic output. Ever After Farms is a local example of successful agritourism at work in Okeechobee County.

“Okeechobee has a strong history and tradition with both agriculture and tourism,” said Cahoon. “We are thrilled to see empirical proof that Ever After Farms Stockyard is helping to strengthen Okeechobee’s agritourism industry.”